Cork Airport is within touching distance of securing the first transatlantic flights to the East Coast of America. Now is the time for the public to make a difference by registering their support for a US licence for the new routes.

Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director at Cork Airport said: “Cork, as the Gateway to the South of Ireland, has so much to gain from these flights. With a direct link to the East Coast, we will be able to grow inbound tourism, increase the choice of destinations, attract more investment into the region and improve social and cultural ties between Ireland and the US.

“The US Department of Transportation is currently accepting submissions concerning the application by Norwegian Air to start flights to Boston as soon as possible this year, and with plans for New York in due course next year. Between now and the deadline for submissions, 16th May, we urgently seek the public’s help and support to ensure the permit is approved and that the flights are secured once and for all.

“We urge individuals and businesses to submit a comment of support via the official US Department of Transportation website below. And further to this to ask family and friends in the US do the same.

“We have been working closely with business and tourism stakeholders, especially Cork Chamber of Commerce, to help drive support for the new route and if we all work together on this, we could see these flights become a reality before very long.”

The public are urged to just take a few minutes to submit their comment on: https://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=DOT-OST-2013-0204-0223